A group representing principals says schools need to arm themselves with surveillance cameras to protect against bullying by parents.

The Australian Principals Federation believes CCTV cameras should be installed in the foyer of every state school to give principals some protection against physical attacks and threats.

The federation admits it is a desperate measure but recognises that more needs to be done to protect school staff against angry parents.

Federation president Chris Cotching says one or two incidents of school principals being targeted by violent or threatening parents are reported to him every day.

"The worst example is where someone's actually been physically punched in the face, where they've had stitches," he told AM.

"You won't hear this sort of stuff publicised. [There are also] cases where principals are followed home."

A recent survey of thousands of school principals by Monash University found school principals were five times more likely to face threats of violence than the general population and seven times more likely to face physical violence.

Mr Cotching says that as the employers, state education departments should be responsible for making schools a safe place to work.

He says they should install surveillance cameras in the foyer of every school.

"People will think twice if they know that they're under surveillance," he said.

Mr Cotching says having an operating CCTV network with recorded footage would remove ambiguity in many cases, and ensure justice for principals and staff.

"When a principal sometimes defends themselves or tries to manage the situation when they've got a violent person in their foyer ... what would often happen is that the person who is the aggressor will then make a formal complaint that the principal had man-handled them or behaved inappropriately or done something," he said.

"And there's nothing to say or nothing to allow the principal to be defended.

"So the poor old principal is then the subject of a complaint process about their misconduct because they've allegedly man-handled somebody out of a foyer area, which we know is nonsense but has to be investigated."

He says the federation will continue discussions with education departments to implement the policy to create a safer work environment for educators.